The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-10-26
THE CASHIERS STORY.

i SFhSEis1Il - Oh
i have tried time and again to rea-
/ son myself out of it. | don't like the
/ idea of going through life aeknowledg-
1 ing that | am indebted to the supernatu-
raj for my very existence. | have never
believed in the supernatural. am not
| going to believe it now if | can find any
other way Of accounting for my being
mere, instead Of at the foot of a agravestone
out on the hill yonder"
We had been discussing spiritualism
before the open fire in Charley's rom,
and had drifted from arguments on the
condition of the dead to the relation of
incidents of mysterious character inhu-
encing the lives of the living.
Il don't like TO figure as creature of
the mysterious, Charley continued, " be-
cause it seems to commit me to belief
in all sorts of outlandish and unnatural
things-to inclose me in an atmosphere
altogether unearthly but my only relief
seems to lie in an utter reputation of an
occurrence too real and too productive of
practical results to be repudiated, so you
see am in a good deal of mess over
it,
Now, Charley is one of the most mat
ter-of-fact of men. At the downtown
bank where he holds the position OF
cashier such an admission on his part
would have produced sensation. In the
familiar circle where he sat that night it
only provoked curiosity. This curiosity
he at once proceeded to satisfy, begin
ming with an abrupt question:
Do you remember the night of the
18th of March p
No one seemed to remember, for no
one answered.
That Is singular he said, after mo-
ment's silence At the same time you
all took great interest in at least one
of the occurrences of that same night.
refer to the attempted bank rob
berry"
Certainly, we all remembered that.
We had simply failed to locate it on
the date giyen-the night OF the 18th of
March.
Well, when left the bank that even
in Charley continued, | was accom-
panied by Dick Munson, the paying-tell-
era pale, nervous little fellow, with a
memory for faces and signatures almost
phenomenal, and an instructive ability
TO detect fraud. We stopped on the bank
steps for moment To speak to custom
er, and then passed on up the street to-
gether. His rooms are about half mile
further out than mine, and when We
were kept at the bank later than usual,
as on that occasion, We frequently dined
together at a neat little restaurant not
far from my chambers. We did so that
night, occupying table alone in a small
alcove from which window looked out
upon a side street.
We were well through the meal when
Dick called my attention TO the figure of
man standing on the outer edge of
the walk, and facing across the side
street
Do YOU remember ever having seen
that person before this eyeningg' he
asked.
Igianced up carelessly and replied that
the man for the first time.
Then, he added, nervously, note
some peculiarly in dress or attitude, SO
you will know him if you see him again
Wait the face is the best index. He
may turn this way IN moment
As though Influenced by our rigid scru-
tiny, the man on the walk turned almost
before Dick had done speaking and faced
the window where we sat.
Don't look now Dick said, turning
his own eyes away. He is watching us.
When you do look, notice the upper por-
ton of his face. People of his kind usu-
ally point out their peculiarities by try
ing to hide them. Look sharp undert the
rim of the slouch bat he wears for some
distinguishing mark
While the teller was speaking, | got
a full view of the mans face The eye
brows were very thick and black, and
came close together. There was no arch
to speak of, and the general effect was
that of straight, unbroken line crossing
the lower forehead. 1t was face not ca
silly forgotten.
| thought You would find something
there, Dick said, when | told him what
had seen. | was not quick enough to
see the fellows face, but | should have
known him anywhere. He stood in front
of the bank steps when We stopped there
Tonight, and has kept us in sight nearly
all the way up. Unless he is frighten-
ed off, We shall hear from him before
long
Il laughed heartily at Dicks view of
the matter, and nothing more was said on
the subject until We reached my rooms.
Then, placing his hand on my arm, he
exclaimed
| can't get over what We were talking
about at the restaurant. l can't get that
slouching figure on the edge of the walk
out Of my mind. Let me remind you